In existing mechanisms for heterogeneous networks (e.g., interworking Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks to Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)), when a mobile device (UE) sends an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and a permanent WLAN media access control (MAC) address of the device to a network during activation of LTE-WLAN aggregation or during attach or association procedure either in the LTE network or in the WLAN network, tracking the mobile device based on permanent (WLAN) MAC address of the mobile device, that can be linked to the IMSI, is possible.
A hacker may be able to track the mobile device by mapping the IMSI with the permanent WLAN MAC address when the UE transfers the IMSI and the permanent WLAN MAC address in a message or in different messages. Since the expose of the permanent WLAN MAC address is not under the control of LTE and frequency of revealing the permanent WLAN MAC address over air can be more compare to IMSI in the message over the air, the hacker can track the mobile device with the permanent WLAN MAC address. Therefore, the permanent WLAN MAC address based tracking should be prevented as to obtain user privacy in LTE networks.
The above information is presented as background information only to help the reader to understand the present disclosure. Applicants have made no determination and make no assertion as to whether any of the above might be applicable as Prior Art with regard to the present application.